Hidden Fees of Low-Cost Airlines: A Full Breakdown
Key Findings
The total price of a 'cheap flight' is determined by your luggage needs, check-in method and seat selection — not the advertised fare.
Ryanair, Wizz Air and EasyJet advertise flights from £9.99. The actual average all-in cost is £67-£140. Makutet maps every fee travellers pay.
Executive Summary
Europe's low-cost carrier (LCC) model has revolutionised travel accessibility, but the headline fare represents only 30-60% of the true travel cost for the typical passenger. Makutet's analysis of fee structures across Ryanair, Wizz Air, EasyJet and Vueling reveals the complete cost picture every traveller needs.
Key Findings
**The bare minimum is not the advertised fare.** Ryanair's advertised fares include one small personal bag (40×20×25cm) only. Any bag larger than a small backpack incurs a fee.
**Bag fees now exceed base fares on short routes.** On routes where the fare is £15-25, a 10kg cabin bag adds £26-47 and a checked bag adds £35-60. The bag costs 2-3× the seat.
**Priority boarding is structural revenue.** LCCs deliberately limit standard boarding zones to incentivise priority boarding purchase. 44% of passengers buy priority boarding on Ryanair routes.
Fee-by-Fee Breakdown
**Ryanair fee structure (approximate):**
- Base fare: £9.99-£89.99
- 10kg cabin bag: £26-47 (route-dependent)
- 20kg hold bag: £35-60 per flight
- Priority boarding: £7-18
- Seat selection: £4-25
- Checked-in airport: additional £55
- Airport check-in: £55 (if not web check-in)
**EasyJet fee structure:**
- Base fare: £18-£95
- Cabin bag (45×36×20cm): included free
- Large cabin bag overhead: £12-29
- 23kg hold bag: £22-47
- Speedy boarding: £8-14
- Seat selection: £5-32
Practical Recommendations
**Pack to fit the free bag allowance** — the difference between needing a cabin bag and not is the difference between a £25 flight and a £60 flight.
**Always use web check-in** — airport check-in fees (£25-55) are the single easiest fee to avoid.
**Book bags at time of flight booking** — adding bags 48 hours before departure costs 30-50% more than at booking.
**Compare total price, not advertised price** — use Skyscanner's "total price" filter which includes baggage on many routes.
Conclusion
Low-cost airlines are genuinely cheap for the right traveller: someone with only a small personal bag, travelling point-to-point, checking in online and needing no seat selection. For everyone else, the LCC model should be evaluated against full-service fares on a total-cost basis, not a headline fare basis.
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